Hernia truss



M P "w J @l "M 4 T. J, LE CRAS Feb. 5, 1935.

HERNIA TRUSS Filed Jan. 10, 1954 Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,989,936. HERNIA TaUss Thomas}. Le Cra s, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application. Januaryllil, 1934,.- Serial No." 706,056 4Claims. (o1. 128'--100)- The principal objects of this invention are to provide a truss which will eliminate many of the discomforts experienced by persons afilicted with hernia-and which will closely simulate the effect produced by the repression of the hernia with the persons own fingers.

A further and important-object is to provide a truss, the pad of which may be very readily adjusted upon the belt to increase the comfort of the patient.

The principal feature of the invention con sists first, in the novel provision of a secondary pad movably mounted upon the main pad in sucha manner that an inwardly and upwardly thrust,- ing pressure is applied in the locus of the hernia through the connection of the perineal strap to the pad. A further feature of importance consistsin th novel construction of'the main pad in simulation of the fingersof the hand, and a further, feature of the invention consists inthe novel construction and arrangement of the clipfor securing the main pad tothe belt whereby the angularity of the pad may be readily adjusted in relation-to the belt.

In the accompanying. drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hernia belt furnished with my improved finger action pad.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the outer side or back of the pad.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the inner side or face of the pad.

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section throughthe pad and belt showing theposition of the inner or supplementary pad in position to be applied to the body.

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 showing the perineal strap attached to the lever for operating the inner pad and the inner pad in its raised position.

Throughout a period of many years a very extensive number of trusses have been invented and marketed for the alleviation of the discomforts of hernia, but the devices so far provided have left much to be desired.

It is understood and appreciated by those afflicted with hernia and those whose special province it has been to minister to their comfort, that hernia can be most effectively relieved by the application of the patients own fingers placed over the afliicted area. In the use of the fingers the patient involuntarily or voluntarily presses upwardly and inwardly to relieve the stress and this present invention endeavours to accomplish a close simulation of this action.

The pad 1 is'preferably formed of asubstantially oval shape having the bottom end thereof partially divided to represent the size and shape of three of the fingers ofa persons hand, the central finger 2 being, longer than the fingers 3- and. 4. This pad is preferably'moulcled of rubber or a rubber composition and is curved longitudinally inan arc shape.

Across the back or outer side of the pad 1 there is formed an angularly arranged transverse depression 5- which forms a groove to receive the belt 6.

A rivet or bolt 771s secured inv suitable metal fastenings 8 in .the body of the pad intermediate of the width of the depression 5 and upon the head of this bolt is mounted aclipfor securing the belt in position, which in the form shown in Figure 1, is constructed of a length of wire bent to form a plurality of loopedhooks between which the belt. is inserted and from .betwee which the belt can be easily removed,

In the form shown in Figure 2-- the clip 10 is formed of sheet metal having a plurality of hook members 11 adapted'to fit over the edges of the belt...

3A slot 12 is arranged longitudinally of the central finger'2 .of the pad 1 below the transverse depression 5 and in this slot is embedded a plate 13 which may be of metal or suitable hard material such as bakelite, and this plate is provided with a narrow longitudinal slot 14.

A pivot pin 15 extends through the side walls of the plate 13 and across the slot 14, and on this pin is pivotally mounted a lever 16 which is formed with a hook 17 at one end which extends through the back of the slot 12 of the pad 1 and pivotally supports the inner or secondary pad 18. This inner padis of oval formation in plan and is convexed on its inward side, its outer side being recessed to receive a plate 19 and preferably being convexed to conform to the concaved inner surface of the main pad on which it is shiftable. The pad 18 is thus received within the hollow of the main pad and the edge portions of the main pad 1 are adapted for snug pressure contact with the body of the wearer. This plate is slotted longitudinally and has a cross bar 20 which forms the pivot support for the pad and rests in the hook 17.

The outer end of the lever 16 is provided with a hook 21 which is adapted to receive the metal loop 22 secured on the free end of the perineal strap 23 which is adjustably mounted on the belt 6.

It will be readily understood that when the loop 22 of the perineal strap is placed in the hook 21 of the lever 16 the pull of the strap will pull downwardly upon the lever, thereby moving the inward end thereof upwardly and as the inner end supports the inner pad 18, said inner pad will be forced in an upward direction with a wedge-like action between the main pad and body of the wearer, and this upward movement is first effected by an inward pressure against the body through the swinging action of the lever. This inward pressure and upward movement of the inner pad has the effect of pressing inwardly and then wedging upwardly against the hernia area in a manner very closely simulating the action of the human fingers, and the use of this pad will for this particular reason be of very material benefit and comfort to the wearer.

The main pad being made'of a semi-flexible rubber material, also presses against the body in such a way as to fit snugly in any desired fixed position, and the finger ends simulate the human finger ends. These finger ends are reinforced by the lateral portions 24 of the metal loop 22 carried by the perineal strap. These lateral looped members apply a constant pressure against the outer fingers to hold them snugly in position.

It will be readily seen that the oval concaved shape pad 1 may be adjusted on its pivotal support in relation to the belt so that the slant of the fingers may be made to accommodate the particular person on whom the belt is used.

The belt is placed in position with the inner pad arranged at a suitable point low down on the hernia area, and upon the connecting of the perineal strap and the straightening of the body of the. wearer, the inner pad is pressed inwardly and upwardly and relieves the stress othervw'se predominant at that point.

The device is extremely simple, but very effective in use.

What I claim as my invention is:-

1. In a hernia truss, a belt, a pad carried by said belt for snug engagement with the affected area and having a longitudinal slot therethrough, a lever extending through said slot and pivotally mounted intermediate of its length and having hooked ends, a secondary pad having a recess, a pin extending across said recess and engaged by the inner hook end of said lever, a perineal strap, and a loop on said strap adapted to engage the outer hook end of said lever and also to engage the back of said pad.

2. In a hernia truss, a belt, a pad carried by said belt for snug engagement with the affected area, a lever pivoted on said pad to swing in a plane intersecting the inner surface of said pad and extending on the inner side thereof, a secondary pad mounted on said lever and bodily movable upwardly thereby, independently of the first-mentioned pad when said lever is swung on its pivot, and a perineal strap connected with said lever at a point spaced from its pivotal connection with the first-mentioned pad to swing said lever and thereby bodily displace the said secondary pad.

3. In a hernia truss, a belt, a pad carried by said belt for snug engagement with the affected area, a lever extending transversely through said pad and pivoted thereon, a pad pivotally mounted on the inner end of said lever and bodily displaceable therewith over the inner side of the first-mentioned pad, and a perineal strap having an operating connection with the outer end of said lever to swing the same on its pivot and thereby bodily displace the pad on the other end thereof.

4. In a hernia truss, a belt, a pad carried by said belt for snug engagement with the affected area and provided with a finger formation, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate of its length on said pad and extending therethrough to swing in a plane longitudinally of said finger formation, a pad pivotally mounted on the inner end of said lever to move bodily upwardly on the swinging of said lever, and a perineal strap operatively connected with the outer end of said lever to swing same, said strap overlapping the outer side of the finger ends of said main pad and engaging same in pressure contact simultaneously with the swinging movement of said lever to cause same to exert a positive inward pressure at the extremities.

I THOMAS J. LE CRAS. 

